Myths About Jogging

Jogging is one of the most recommended kinds of exercise to break a sedentary lifestyle, as it doesn’t require financial investment, special gear or a specific venue. The only drawback is that those who choose jogging are not often prepared by sport experts, and they are not supervised during exercise. Usually experienced joggers share their wisdom with newbies, and lots of myths may be transferred along with the hard facts. Here are a few myths that you need to know about jogging.
MYTH 1: YOU’LL BURN THE SAME NUMBER OF CALORIES WALKING A MILE THAT YOU WOULD RUNNING A MILE.
When you’re trying to rack up 10,000-plus steps a day, every step is a step in the right direction. But contrary to popular opinion, going for a slow stroll does not burn as many calories as you’d blast on a run of the same distance. Part of the reason is that intensity matters: A higher intensity jog leads to a greater after burn post-workout than you’d experience following a walk. In fact, this after burn can lead to a 25 percent greater caloric expenditure during and after a run than a walk of the same distance. To ramp up the burn even more, throw some short sprints into your regularly paced run.

MYTH 2. IF YOU RUN LONG DISTANCES, YOU’RE GOING TO LOSE TOENAILS.
Yes, cracking or losing an entire toenail is common when you’re racking up the miles, but it’s not inevitable. People whose second toe is longer than their big toe are more prone to losing nails. Also, if shoes are too tight, you’re more inclined to lose toenails and get blisters. Always have your running shoes be a half size larger than your regular shoes. Keeping your toenails trimmed can help as well.

MYTH 3: IN ORDER TO BE A BETTER RUNNER, YOU NEED TO RUN LONGER DISTANCES.
It’s easy to look at the sleek physiques of cross country runners or the schedules of people on marathon training forums and conclude that you have to log major weekly miles if you want to be a “real” runner. But more miles do not necessarily make you better. When it comes to training, quality is more relevant than quantity. Running fewer days a week but adding in a speed workout, rather than sticking to all low-intensity jogs, can help you burn more calories and improve your pace.

MYTH 4: RUNNING RUINS YOUR KNEES.
It’s a common belief that pounding the pavement is hard on your joints—the knees in particular. But new research shows the opposite might be true: Running might actually make you less likely to have knee problems down the road, according to a recent study published in the European Journal of Applied Physiology. Researchers studied recreational runners and found that their knees had less inflammation (a precursor to arthritis) after completing 30 minutes of jogging than after sitting still for 30 minutes.